1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet printer, and more particularly, to an ink cartridge for an ink-jet printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an ink-jet printer comprises an ink cartridge mounting device in which an ink cartridge is removably mounted. The ink cartridge mounting device reciprocates along a guide shaft that is disposed in a perpendicular direction to a paper forwarding direction.
FIG. 1 is a side section view showing a general ink cartridge mounting device. The ink cartridge mounting device comprises a carriage 20 in which an ink cartridge 10 is mounted, and a locking lever 21 for locking the ink cartridge mounted in the carriage 20. As shown in FIG. 1, when the locking lever 21 is rotated in a direction of A with the ink cartridge 10 being mounted in the carriage 20, a stopper 21a of the locking lever 21 presses a protrusion 10a of the ink cartridge 10. Accordingly, the ink cartridge 10 comes into contact with an inner wall 20a of the carriage 20.
When the locking lever 21 is rotated in an opposite direction to the direction of A, the ink cartridge 10 is unlocked from the inner wall 20a by a contact plate spring 23 disposed in the inner wall 20a. Then, the ink cartridge 10 pivots on an align shaft 25 disposed at an underside of the carriage 20, and returns to the position shown in FIG. 1. In this state, a user can remove the ink cartridge 10 from the carriage 20 by using a handle 13 of the ink cartridge 10.
The conventional ink cartridge mounting device depicted in FIG. 1 has a disadvantage due to the recovering force of the contact plate spring 23. The recovering force of the contact plate spring 23 is weak and therefore the ink cartridge 10 is only pushed out a slight extent. Accordingly, users are inconvenienced when they remove the ink cartridge 10 from the carriage 20 by using the handle 13.